The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-05-19
THE FOOL ROOM

I 1919 W" 4VOOX4s
Why It Became Hateful to Little
zanby.
Little Zanby was o cripple. 1t was
said that he had started out with fair
prospects, physically, but that having,
while quite young, been hooked by a
steer, kicked by m old family horse
the most dangerous of all creatures
and finally run over by a wood wagon,
he settled down into an ordinary Grip
pie, with one leg that was much too
short and with one arm that was with
cred like a wilted polk-stalk. Little
Zanby had, from his earliest infancy,
lived in Cypress Grove, where every one
was acquainted with tho hum of his in
dustrious old mothers spinning-wheel.
Tho old woman knew hat her SON was
going tc be a statesman. Had he been
strong and able to work, she would
have doubtless INDUCED no such hope,
but as it was she seemed to think that
craftsmanship was about all that was
left for him. The school-teacher once
had the extreme hardihood to tell her
that he did not think it was of much
use to send the boy to school, adding
that it was cruel to tax what little mind
the child had. The old woman was put
ting a.fresh ..shuck" on tho spindle of
her wheel at the time. She turned
from her work, which was indeed a re-
markable attention for her to bestow
on any one, looked at the teacher from
head to foot, and said:
I'M. Scroggins, l see that all the
fools amt dead yit."
ssMy dear madam
"Don't dear madam, me. see how
it is. You air all jealous O. Zanby. Oh,
you ncentcr laugh, you great big lub-
bcrly good-fur-nothin' thing. This
very mint you ought to be out in the
woods splittin' rails, stead O. maxim
your livin' by sittin' round a house.
You'll never be a statesman, Mr..
Scroggins, never while breath's in
that good-fnr-nothin' body o. yourn.
Git outen my house-gitr'
When tho boy came home she took
him into an inner chamber, a dark
room whittier she always went to pour
out her grief, and wept over him.
About the time Zanby arrived at the
age of eighteen years, a change came
upon him. Despite his infirmities. he
had ever maintained q cheerfulness
that was the wonder of sound people,
but he suddenly became gloomy. When
some spoke to his mother with. re-
gard to it, she replied:
"It's puffeckly nachul. You KANT
expect a boy that's goin' to be a states.
man to allus have the simple grins.
Jes let him alone, an he'll come out
all right"
.Yes," rejoined the neighbor, ..but
this mornin' I seed him settin' on the
bank O. tho branch cryin' fit ter kill
hi sc'f.n
what would you expect a Statesman
to dop Allus gigglcP Madam,you jis
tend to yore business an I'll try tel
tend to mine"
"Oh, it amt that I am tryin' to med.
die with yore business, madam; it's be.
cause we air all interested in little
Zanby. We air all SO ulster seein him
in the sun that it sorter posters US tel
sec him in the shade"
.Wall, that neenter bother you none
That child is comm outen the kink:
faster than you ever seed a pusson
WY, you oughter hear him talk in hi.
sleep. He talks like a preacher"
The old woman, though she treated
the matter lightly, was deeply troubled
and when little Zanby came home sh,
studied his face closely.
"zanby. air yer well. my chileP" sh'
asked.
..Yessum."
"As well as yer wanter bep"
"Well ez I ken be-"
.How SOP"
.'W'y, as well as q poor cripple kel
be-,
She had never before heard him speal
of his affiiction; she had never hear,
him make a remark so serious, and he
chin quivered as she gazed upon him.
II wuz a fool all my life till the othe
day." he said. "Now I've got som
sense" he added, after a slight pause
sWhut have you learnt that's newP'
she asked.
Learnt that I've allus been q fool,
tell you. I've been a sort O. a butterfly
but now I'm a hornet"
She looked at him in establishment
'tZanby, I know To- that you kahn
help bein' a statesman"
"Statesman, the deucer
"Mussyful heavens, chile, you"
"That's all right, mother" Zanb
broke in. "Tve hearn about that a
my life, and when 1 wuz a fool I pal
attention to it an lived in it, for l wa
blind then, but ken see now. I kno,
you air surprised to see that 1 amt n
longer a fool"
The old woman burst into tears. H
put his withered arm about her neck
.Thar,n he said, '.don'tcry thiser way
You oughter be glad that I amt n
longer SIGH a fool, even if l don't laug
an try ter dance"
She dried her eyes, and, though Sol
rowing deeply, could not help but &C
mfre the new expression which tn
hitherto simple boy had found.
"Zanby," she said, tenderly holdin
his withcred arm, ..ef yore eyes al
opened, as you say. and EFF you air s
much smarter than you ulster be, no
ken you hep bein' a great manP"
Mother, you mustn't talk to N